


Together

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: Reaper76 [60]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-10-24 17:52:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 7,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17708912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: Between SEP, the Crisis and their work, there were moments of normality.





	1. Cold Feet

   He tried, no one could say that he didn’t try, the blanket wrapped so tightly around him that it was impossible to tell were the fuzzy material ended, and skin began. He had been pretending to be asleep when Jack slipped back into their rooms, knowing that his partner would scold him for waiting up and making them both sleep-deprived. Although if he was honest, he hadn’t wanted to see the exhaustion that was making Jack’s steps so heavy or the shadowed look in the blue eyes that hadn’t been there a few months ago. But the urge to protect himself was real, fingers clutching the edge of the blanket as he listened to Jack undressing, eyebrows rising when he heard the clothes hitting the ground rather than being folded neatly like normal. Then Jack was sliding into the bed, the weary sighing tugging at Gabriel’s heartstrings and he nearly rolled over there and then. Almost, because he could already feel Jack’s feet nudging against his legs, trying to find a way into the warmth and he tightened his grip on the blanket.

“Gabe.” It wasn’t the fact that Jack had cottoned onto the fact that he was awake that made him pause, but the weary, defeated tone that had stolen the usual warmth from the nickname and he growled. _What’s happened now?_ Once again, he cursed the people who had forced Jack into this position, but he didn’t say anything, didn’t demand answers as he knew that he would find out in the morning. Instead, he rolled over to face Jack, eyes soft as he met the pleading gaze, studying Jack for a moment and taking in the greying hair, the lines marring his skin that hadn’t been there before. “Please.” It was rare for Jack to plead for anything, and Gabriel had never found a way to refuse him when they were alone and so with a grumble, more forced than anything at this point he opened the blanket.

   He shivered as Jack immediately cuddled close, the ice blocks that he called feet slipping under the material and tangling with his legs and he had to fight the urge to pull back. He was used to it after so many years, having long since given up on trying to get Jack to wear socks to bed as they inevitably ended up being kicked off, but it didn’t mean that he liked it. Still, the feel of Jack curling against him, and the sleepy, contented hum that followed as Jack buried his face into his shoulder made him smile, and he ducked his head to press a kiss to the messy hair.

“Goodnight Jack.”


	2. Meowning Conversations

   Jack grumbled under his breath as he rolled over, blinking as his searching fingers came up empty before sighing as he remembered being woken with a kiss and the promise of breakfast a short while before. Clearly, he had managed to doze off again, and he would have felt guilty were it not for the fact that Gabe tended to get slightly possessive of the kitchen when he was cooking, and it was easier to let him be. Besides, he was definitely the better cook, and Jack could feel his stomach growling in agreement. Slowly, muscles protesting he levered himself up, shivering slightly as he became aware of the chill in the air and hurriedly snatching up Gabe’s hoodie from where it was draped over the end of the bed, let Gabriel complain, he was the one who had left it out in the open.

   Yawning he padded out into the hallway and frowned as he heard Gabriel’s voice in the kitchen, not the slightly out of tune singing that usually greeted him when he stumbled through in the mornings, but actual words as though he was having a conversation and he growled under his breath. It felt like weeks since they’d managed to have a whole day to themselves and he had been looking forward to it, hoping that he could convince his partner to retreat to bed with him after they’d eaten breakfast.

 But if they had visitors…

   He very nearly turned and fled back to bed, but curiosity and the desire for a proper good morning kiss propelled him onwards. As he got closer to the kitchen, he grew more and more confused as he realised that he couldn’t hear anyone else answering Gabe. At least no one human he amended, wincing at the high-pitched yowl that followed even as comprehension dawned. Stepping into the kitchen, he found Gabriel stood in front of the stove, eggs sizzling in the pan, while his partner was busy scolding the scrawny tabby they had rescued from the rubble of an Omnic attack a few months ago.

“Do you really think you should be up there?” Gabriel clearly hadn’t noticed his arrival, attention riveted on the cat and Jack couldn’t help but shake his head, it certainly wasn’t the first time he’d caught the other man addressing her like she understood, but he still found it strange. Made odder still by the cat yowling back at Gabriel, sounding incredibly put out as she stretched a paw towards the pan only to get it rapped lightly. “And you’ve already had breakfast so keep your claws off ours.” The hiss that followed and the baleful stare that was then turned on Jack, in turn, left him wondering just how much she understood, and just how much his partner had been talking to her, before deciding that he probably didn’t want to know.


	3. Everyone cries at a wedding, especially the Grooms

   Jack could feel his cheeks beginning to ache, unable to recall a day when he had smiled as much as he was right now, and he couldn’t stop his gaze from returning to the reason for his happiness. Gabriel looked very dashing in his white suit, his beanie banished for once although Jack had a feeling that he probably had a spare stashed in one of his pockets for later. Either that or he would have McCree carrying one, and he rolled his eyes at that thought, realising that they would probably end up with at least one wedding photo with the damned hat on his husband’s head. _Husband,_ he paused savouring the word in his head, glancing down at the ring on his finger still half expecting to find that this was a dream, after all, they’d been forced to postpone the wedding twice because of work, and he had started to think that they might never get to this point.

   He could feel his eyes beginning to sting as he stared at the simple band, running a finger lightly over the surface. It was real. They were married, and he bit his lip, blinking furiously to keep the tears back. It wasn’t that he was ashamed to show them, but Gabriel had been teasing him endlessly in the run-up to the day, claiming that he would be the first to shed tears at the wedding. Technically he thought that honour had gone to Ana who had been sniffling suspiciously when she had handed him off to Gabe after walking him down the aisle, but he was determined to try and prove Gabe – to prove his husband wrong all the same. Once he was confident, he wasn’t going to start crying he lifted his head, startled to find Gabe staring at him and even more stunned by the sight of tears on the other man’s cheeks.

“Gabe?” He quickly closed the distance between them, not protesting when Gabriel immediately reached out and twined their hands together, pulling him closer. “Are you crying?” Jack couldn’t keep the disbelief out of his voice as he reached out with his free hand, gently brushing the tears away, earning a watery laugh from his husband.

“I’m sorry,” Gabriel muttered, ducking his head before peering at him, smiling despite the tears that were still escaping. “It still doesn’t feel real, and then I look at you and the ring, and I know it is…and I-I didn’t think I could be this happy or lucky.”

“Lucky?”

“To have married the most perfect man,” Gabriel murmured, and Jack would have laughed at the somewhat cheesy line if it hadn’t echoed his own feelings, willingly let his husband pull him in for a quick kiss, catching the flash that indicated someone had captured the moment as he pulled back to meet Gabe’s gaze.

“Idiot, don’t apologise,” he smiled, feeling his own eyes beginning to burn and knowing that he wasn’t going to be dry-eyed for much longer, not that it mattered now that Gabriel had beaten him to it and he sniffled as he rested he ducked his head before adding softly. “Besides I think that’s my line.”


	4. A Time for Sweets

   Gabe hummed under his breath as he worked, dipping his finger into the cake mix and tasting it and he couldn’t resist stealing a second mouthful, closing his eyes as he savoured the sweetness. It was a poorly kept secret that he had a sweet tooth, although he had a feeling that Ana and Jack were responsible for his Blackwatch agents finding out about it and learning to use it against him. His eyes darting to the chocolate that he had used in the cake, a gift from McCree who had just returned from his latest mission sporting several broken ribs, a black eye and leaving an entire town without power, and with a rather large crater where the power station had stood. He had been positioned there ready to ream the younger agent out, when the idiot had smiled at him, digging in his pack and handing over the chocolate with a muttered apology that they both knew he only half-meant. However, the lure of chocolate, especially Belgium chocolate had dulled his tongue and McCree had escaped with just a couple of stern words rather than the lecture he had been planning.

   He really needed to learn to control himself, later he amended, dipping his finger into the mix again before forcing himself to finish emptying it into the tin. As strong as his sweet tooth was, this cake had a more important purpose which wasn’t going to happen if he ate it all, besides there was still plenty of chocolate for him to eat while he waited.

   An hour and a half later he walked into Jack’s office carrying the cake, scowling at the exhausted set to his partner’s shoulder and the piles of paperwork that seemed larger than the day before if that was possible.

“Jack, have you even eaten today?” He asked as he settled the cake on the desk, already knowing the answer to his question, especially as he eyed the coffee cups piled up at the edge of the desk. Jack didn’t look at the cake or him, frantically writing, his white-knuckled grip on the pen another sign of how stressed he was and Gabriel thought he was going to be ignored entirely for a moment before Jack finally muttered a reply.

“I had something earlier.”

“Sure, you did,” Gabriel growled, more to himself than anything else as he had a feeling that Jack wasn’t registering anything but the words in front of him. “Jack, you need to eat. I made you something.”

“Thanks, I’ll eat it in a bit.” Jack still didn’t look up, and Gabriel fought the urge to grab the pen and snap it in half, instead glancing at the cake before nodding and slipping away with a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. He knew Jack. And the blond’s love for anything baked and while it hadn’t registered on his radar just yet, he knew that if he went back in the next hour, it would all have disappeared. It certainly wasn’t the healthiest option, and he could just imagine the lecture Angela would give them both if she knew that Jack was living off of cake and that Gabriel was supplying him with it, but at least it was food. That was all that mattered, although he would make sure they had something healthier tonight if he could pry Jack away from the paperwork.


	5. Warm Blankets

   Gabriel groaned, shifting around and trying to find a more comfortable position on the couch, not an easy task with the bruises covering the entirety of his left side, a memento from his last mission. He knew that he couldn’t really complain as without the SEP conditioning he would probably have broken his ribs if not worse when he had been tossed out of the window during the firefight, but it was sore and Angela was away at the moment which meant he had to heal the hard way. However, the other reason he couldn’t settle was that Jack still wasn’t there even though he had promised to come and cuddle with him for a while as soon as he was done the report he was working on.

“Jack?!” He called, aware that he sounded more than a little peevish as he lifted his head to glance towards the kitchen where his husband had set up camp to escape his attempts to distract him earlier, and he scowled when there was no answer. “JACK!”

   He was about to get up and stomp through, determined to get some attention from his husband when Jack appeared in the doorway carrying the large patterned blanket that he had picked up in El Dorado on his last mission, and he subsided under the stern gaze. Jack didn’t maintain the sternness for long, eyes softening as his gaze darted down to where Gabriel had subconsciously pressed a hand to his side in preparation for the pain that rising would have caused him. He had been less than happy when Gabriel had returned injured and had flapped around like a worried mother until the doctors had chased him away, which made the wait even harder to understand… at least until Jack came across and settled on the edge of the couch, draping the blanket over him and he was engulfed in warmth.

   It was a habit that Jack had developed years ago, shoving the blankets into the tumble dryer for a while before bed, usually to help combat his cold feet. But it was something he did after a stressful day when he wanted nothing more than to cuddle with Gabriel, or on their rare nights off when they would eat dinner in their rooms and then curl up to watch a movie on the old holovid player that Jack had rigged up in the living room. Gabriel had never really understood the appeal, often finding it a little too warm although he was grateful for the protection against freezing toes digging into his legs, but right now it was heavenly. He sighed, tugging the blanket closer and sinking back into a boneless heap and willingly letting Jack wiggle his way under him until his head was resting in the blond’s lap, gentle fingers beginning to play with his hair.


	6. Just Like the First Time

   Jack frowned as he spotted the slip of pink paper sticking out of the file he had been working on the night before, reasonably sure that piece of paper hadn’t been in it and he glanced around, not sure what he was expecting to find in the privacy of his office before yanking it out. A small smile tugged at his lips as he immediately recognised the messy scrawl, long years of practice letting him decipher it with ease, feeling himself colouring slightly as he read the note.

_Dinner, at 8 o’clock tonight. Dress nicely. Love you._

   It was short and sweet, but it still warmed him, and he found himself brushing his finger over the last two words. It didn’t seem to matter how many years they had known each other, or how long they had been together let alone married. It still as new and overwhelming as it had all those years ago when Gabe had sat at his bedside, reamed him out for nearly getting himself killed and then asked him out for the first time. It was a feeling that he hoped would never change, although he could have done without the sudden influx of butterflies as he reread the note. Dress nicely? What was his husband planning this time? Worrying at his bottom lip he reached for his communicator, typing out a quick message to Gabriel to let him know that he had found the note…his husband had panicked the first-time Jack had mislaid a note, almost calling in all their security forces, when Jack had merely gone to visit Ana and Fareeha as he’d known nothing about it.

Speaking of which…

    He typed in another name as soon as he had messaged Gabe, tapping his fingers anxiously against the desk, completely forgetting about the work he was meant to be doing. “Ana!” He practically deafened her when she answered. “I need your help.” He didn’t need to say anything else, blushing when she scolded him for acting like a love-sick teenager before telling him to be there at seven so she could sort him out. Which said to him that Gabriel had probably asked her advice on whatever they were going to be doing and he mumbled his agreement before hanging up, excitement seeping in with the nerves as he glanced at the note again.

   He reread the words a couple of times before it was carefully folded and slipped into his pocket, ready to be added to the box that he kept them in. Patting it, he sighed before forcing his attention back to the file, unable to keep the smile off his face, or the butterflies out of his stomach as he reluctantly got back to work.


	7. Pillow Fights

  Gabriel yawned, opening his eye just enough to glance across at the clock and groaning when he realised he that it was barely gone five in the morning, cursing his body for waking him up on one of his admittedly rare days off. Idly he contemplated getting up, but Jack was curled against him and snuffling softly as he shifted closer, fingers clenching at his shirt as though he knew what Gabriel was thinking and all thoughts of leaving the bed vanished. He couldn’t remember the last time they’d had a day off together. Let alone a Sunday, and he was determined to make the most of it, wrapping an arm around Jack and pulling him closer, nuzzling into bed-mussed hair and closing his eyes and it didn’t take long for Jack’s presence to lull him back to sleep.

   His next awakening came in the form of a pillow to the face, and he woke with a start, reaching for a weapon wasn’t there before spluttering as he was hit again. Growling as he caught the soft chuckle before the pillow rushed towards him again, he reached out and grabbed the hand holding it, grunting as a second pillow collided with the side of his head. Releasing Jack’s hand, he lunged back for his own pillows, grabbing them just as Jack attacked again and he got a mouthful of the pillow before he managed to retaliate, smirking at the yelp that greeted his attack.

   Neither of them gave any ground. Gabriel was torn between being grumpy at being woken that way rather than with a gentle kiss and wanting to smile at the sound of Jack laughing, a sound that had become much rarer under the pressures of his new job. Jack’s eyes were bright, laughing even as he took another pillow to the face, and for a moment it was like looking at the cheerful, somewhat naïve man he had met that day in SEP and he faltered for a moment at that glimpse, promptly taking two pillows to the face again and falling back with a grunt. He half expected Jack to continue the fight even though they were both breathing heavily by this point, faces flushed, but after a moment Jack groaned and flopped against him a sigh. He gasped for air for a moment, winded by the sudden impact before abandoning his pillows in favour of wrapping his arms around Jack. “What brought this on Cariño?” He asked, nuzzling against Jack’s temple, caught by surprise when Jack lifted his head and nipped lightly at the tip of his nose.

“You promised to make me breakfast.”


	8. Sing to Me

    Jack smiled to himself as he passed the bathroom door just in time to hear Gabriel joining in with the song on the radio, some new pop song that he didn’t recognise although he had to admit that it was catchy, although that might have something to do with his partner’s husky voice rather than the song itself. He wasn’t even sure that Gabriel actually knew the words. And he probably didn’t even care if was getting them wrong because Jack could remember him getting up on the stage at last year’s Christmas do and launching into a Fairy tale of New York, managing to get half the words wrong even though the song was as old as dust and everyone knew the lyrics. Shaking his head and wincing as Gabe tried to hit a note that he probably wasn’t meant to hit, wishing that he could be as confident about singing as his partner was before heading to the living room to finish tidying up.

   They’d both had a couple of days off, which meant that the room was a mess as they’d most of their time curled up on the sofa and watching old movies and eating junk food, both of them ignoring the fact that someone…probably Ana had stocked up their small kitchenette with proper food while they’d been away in Nepal for a week.

   Grimacing he began to gather up the rubbish, hearing Gabriel’s voice lifting in the distance and pausing from a moment to listen before forcing himself to continue as they both had a meeting in a couple of hours and he didn’t want to come back to this.

   He wasn’t even aware of the fact that he had started to sing under his breath as he worked, an old song that he’d listened to while jogging as he trained for joining the army, a song that brought to mind memories of home and family.

“You should sing more often,” Gabriel’s voice caught him by surprise, as did the damp arms that snaked around his waist and he coloured, realising what he had been doing and sucking in a startled breath as he tried to wiggle free, but Gabriel wasn’t letting go, pressing gentle kisses up the side of his neck. “I love your voice.”

“I…” _Wasn’t_ …the denial fell flat as Jack tilted his head to look at his partner, seeing the sincerity in the dark eyes and melting against him. He was still embarrassed to have been caught singing, could still feel the blush colouring his cheeks, but with Gabriel looking at him like that it was hard to worry about it, and he offered him a small smile. “Maybe…but only for you.” There was no way he could get up on stage and sing, no matter how much alcohol he had in him or how much Gabriel begged, although the look that met his words told him that Gabriel was content with his response and he relaxed further when Gabe pressed a kiss to his temple.

“Good.”


	9. Walking Back to Happiness

    Gabriel didn’t waste his breath asking if Jack was okay as the blond staggered into their room after escaping the medics, and not because he could see the sling holding his partner’s arm immobile or the bruising marring his cheek. It was the haunted look in the blue eyes, the way that Jack jumped at the slightest noise that told him that he was as far from okay as he could be and who could blame him? The mission was always going to be hellish, the Omnics were learning new tricks by the day and growing more and more indiscriminate with their attacks, but their information had been off by miles, and they had been dropped into a nightmare. Gabriel shuddered, glancing at his hands to check that they were clean, closing his eyes against the sight of the school torn apart by an explosion, and jolting when Jack pressed against his side.

   The warm body and the feel of his ragged breathing, speaking of ribs that were already healing, grounded him and he slowly opened his eyes, curling an arm around Jack’s back and guiding them both down onto the bed. He didn’t bother with the covers, neither of them would be sleeping well tonight, and after days of toiling through burning buildings, explosions rocking the world around them, the slight chill in the air was welcomed. Instead, he carefully tugged Jack over until he was laid against his chest, leaving one arm looped loosely around his waist before reaching up with his other hand to comb through messy blond hair.

“Hey, Gabe?” Jack whispered, leaning into his touch, voice soft and vulnerable in a way that he would only allow himself to sound in these quiet minutes. “Do you remember our first holiday?” To anyone else, it might have seemed like a non-sequitur, but Gabe knew better, knew that Jack needed to talk about happier times. To think about happier times, and as he tightened his hold, he admitted to himself at least, that he needed it as well. The images of the latest mission wavering as he cast his mind back to the first time they had gone on a proper holiday together, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

“Of course,” he murmured, pressing light kisses to the bruised skin. “It was the first time I got to see you in speedos.”


	10. Socks, Socks Everywhere

“You can’t be serious?” Gabriel demanded as he glanced into the bag and realised that Jack had managed to sneak some more plush socks past him, glancing up to be met by an innocently smiling Jack Morrison, although the mischief in his eyes ruined the effect. “And where do you think you’re going to keep them?” The drawers in the wardrobe were already full of the blasted things. In fact, he’d got to the point of keeping his own socks in a box under the bed just so they wouldn’t get lost, but Jack’s collection was beginning to spread out, and Gabriel was struck by a vision of opening the door one day to be buried beneath socks. But it was hard to scold him when Jack had snatched the bag out of his hand and was now cradling it protectively against his chest and shooting him a pleading look.

“I’ll find room; besides they stop me killing you with my cold feet.” Jack had him there, but still, he couldn’t help but think that Jack had a problem. Although when Jack cautiously let him take the bag once more, he couldn’t stop his hand from slipping into it as they moved on to another shop, fingers brushing against the material and imagining how it would feel when Jack was wearing them and caressing his legs with his feet as they slept curled together. Maybe I should let him get more, he hastily quashed that thought before the words could come out…he would definitely end up buried by socks if he said that aloud.

   However, it didn’t stop him from sighing appreciatively that night when Jack shifted in his sleep, the iciness of his feet kept at bay by the soft material, and he willingly lifted his leg to let Jack’s slip in, lips quirking up as they became more tangled as Jack seemed determined to get as close as possible… and it didn’t stop him from stealing said socks a couple of nights later when Jack was held up with a meeting, although he nearly regretted it when the other man caught him, a wicked grin tugging at his lips and Gabriel had a feeling that there would be no stopping him now.a


	11. ...and Skate

He’d been right. Jack’s collection had now expanded into two more drawers, but Gabriel had also found himself buying some, still tucked away in separate boxes under the bed although that was to stop his partner from stealing them more than worry that they would disappear into the pile. However, he wasn’t quite sure how that had resulted in their current situation. Namely, Jack skating down the corridor, the socks providing little to no friction against the smooth laminate and Gabriel wasn’t fairing much better, feeling as though he was back on the Ice Rink that time Fareeha had begged them to go Ice skating with her… the little girl spending most of her time laughing at her Uncles for ending up on the floor more often than not.

“JACK MORRISON GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!” He shouted, clutching at the wall as he threatened to topple over again, hearing Jack chuckle and catching the smug grin on his partner’s face when Jack skidded to a halt and glanced at him over his shoulder. That expression made him want to growl, or kiss it away…

   But that meant reaching him, and he eyed the socks on his feet, debating whether to just take them off and run for it because then even Jack and his stupidly good balance wouldn’t be able to escape him. However, the floor was cold, and he shivered just at the thought of it before gritting his teeth and launching himself forwards. Fighting to keep his balance as he immediately slipped and slid from side to side, but it was a losing battle from the start, and he found himself falling forwards in a tangle of limbs with Jack’s laughter ringing in his ears.


	12. Man's Best Friend

“Why did we agree to watch that?” Jack whispered as the credits finally appeared on the screen, fighting back a sniffle and burying his face into Gabriel’s shoulder when he realised that his efforts weren’t working. He wasn’t worried that their companions would say anything about his reaction, Genji seemed to have dozed off if the soft snores and the quiet whirring of his vents were anything to go by and McCree wouldn’t rat them out as he had been sat there with tears in his eyes for the past half an hour.

  Gabriel’s arm tightened around his shoulders for a minute, pulling him closer without complaint even though Jack knew that he was getting his shirt damp with the tears that he hadn’t quite been able to stop, understanding why when his partner replied after a moment. “Because we’re idiots.” He sounded calm, and to anyone else, it would have seemed like he wasn’t affected by the end of the movie, but Jack wasn’t just anyone, and he easily picked up on the edge that told him that Gabriel was just as upset. Pulling back from his hiding space he peered up at his partner, still sniffling, eyes softening when he caught the suspicious glimmer when Gabe glanced down and met his gaze.

“Definitely idiots,” he murmured, moving so that he could snake his arms around Gabriel in turn, squeezing slightly before hiding his face once more. “We’re never watching that again.” It wasn’t a question, and he relaxed at the speed with which Gabriel grunted his agreement.


	13. If the Price is Right

   Jack grimaced as he stared at the pile of laundry that was waiting to be done. It certainly wasn’t the highest it had ever been, but it was close, the side effects of nearly two weeks with neither him nor Gabe spending time at home apart from to eat, sleep and share a quick kiss in passing and it showed. The basket was overflowing, and their quarters were a mess which was why their first day off had now been dedicated to chores, and somehow, he had let himself be talked into doing the laundry.

 No, not somehow…

    Gabe had taken one look at the pile of laundry and backed away with it, shooting a pleading look at him that had nearly had Jack crumbling there and then, because dammit it all, the other man was endearing when he did that. Still, he had held firm, and so the bartering had begun. Neither of them could remember when it had started, each of them offering something in return for getting out of a chore they didn’t want to do. Although it had long since extended to work when they could get away with it, allowing them to avoid some meetings and parties at the expense of the other, although the ‘cost’ for those kinds of favours tended to be pretty high, and often kinky especially when Gabriel was the one setting the price.

“I’m sure this is worth more than dinner!” He called raising his voice so that Gabe who was in the process of unearthing their sofa could hear him, scowling at the laughter that greeted his complaint. He hadn’t realised just how much laundry there was, and he sighed, vowing to make sure that Gabe took him to his favourite restaurant and not the diner that he seemed to favour or the commissary. He had fallen for that before, but not this time. Especially not when spied Gabriel’s combats covered in mud hanging over the side of the basket, and he growled under his breath as he reluctantly moved forward to lift the basket, vowing to choose the priciest thing he could find on the menu.


	14. A Perfect Night

    It had been Gabriel’s suggestion that they hit the beach when they had found themselves with an unexpected long weekend, neither of them in the mood for dealing with worried families who wanted to know what was going on with them but weren’t allowed to know what they were doing. They were both a mess, the months of SEP treatments leaving their bodies teetering on the edge and Jack had been hesitant to agree to go out in public, highly aware of the physical changes and the gauntness in his face that spoke of the hardships. But it was hard to say no when Gabriel lit up like that, voice soft and pleading, hands warm around his and so here they were, the sun already setting and dyeing the sea with warm oranges and a deep vermillion that remind Jack of the old, battered truck he had learnt to drive in. Gabriel laughing when he muttered that it was probably the only good thing about the blasted thing, kissing him as he promised they would buy a new one once all of this was over.

   Jack didn’t reply to the promise. It was something that Gabriel had started doing as the SEP got worse and more and more of their cohort disappeared into the infirmary never to be seen again, as though making plans for the future would make sure that they saw it. Jack wasn’t as optimistic, and he found that thinking about the future made it worse, because he wanted. God did he want it, but he knew that every time he stepped in the lab could be his last and yet he didn’t have the heart to tell Gabriel to stop.

   They walked along the beach, playing nudging each other into the waves that were slowly creeping up the sands until they reached an empty stretch of sand. As much as they missed civilisation when they were locked up on base, tonight was for them, and Jack felt himself relaxing as he watched Gabriel scrabbling through the dunes, searching for enough bits and pieces to build a small fire. It was quiet, just the sound of the waves and Gabriel humming under his breath and grumbling whenever the sand sent him skidding.

   The sunset was at its peak when they finally settled down, a small bonfire burning merrily in front of them.

“This was a good idea,” Jack finally admits leaning into Gabriel, waiting for an ‘I told you so’ but instead there is nothing but a warm arm around his shoulder, and a much too brief kiss. It’s enough to tell him that Gabriel agrees, and he can see the lines of stress melting away from his partner’s face, and he knows that even if he hadn’t felt it too, he would have said it, just to see that expression.

   It doesn’t stop him from grumbling when Gabriel pulls away to retrieve his guitar which he’d insisted on hauling along with him, missing the closeness, although his protest is short-lived because Gabriel returns as though pulled. Settling, so their shoulders are touching, but he has enough room to fiddle with the instrument, Jack closing his eyes to listen as Gabriel tunes it, remembering the long nights when he had been close to screaming from the treatments and Gabriel had been there, soft strumming bringing him some measure of peace.

   A few minutes later the experimental sounds of tuning fade away and Jack opens his eyes just as Gabriel launches into a song, and for a couple of minutes, all he can do is watch. Because Gabriel looks alive like this, a broad smile on his face and eyes closed as he trusts his fingers to know what to do, bathed in the light of the sunset. For a moment, it’s almost like looking at a stranger. The Gabriel in front of him a far cry from the stern-faced soldier he faces in the training room, or the wraithlike figure confined to bed as the treatments changed them into something more, but then his eyes are open, and he’s staring at Jack, both Gabriel’s becoming one as they stare at each other. Idly Jack wonders if he changes too now that they’re away from the base, but he doesn’t want to ask, doesn’t want to make the mood dip and instead, he leans into the gentle pressure against his shoulder.

   It’s been a long time since he’d sung and he knows that the huskiness he has developed after long periods of screaming himself hoarse hasn’t helped, and there’s a timidity to his voice as he starts to sing, dredging up the lyrics from the back of his mind. Part of him wants to stop because he sounds like a stranger to himself, but Gabriel is smiling at him, eyes warm and when he falters, he’s there whispering encouragement, and Jack can’t refuse him. There’s no one else to hear him, so for now he sings, content to watch the way Gabriel’s fingers dance across the strings and the warm gaze that never leaves his face.


	15. Bubbles

“Come on,” Gabriel pleads, breath warm against Jack’s ear as he leans over the back of the couch, fingers gentle as he massages Jack’s shoulders, finding the knots that have built up over an incredibly stressful week. Jack knows that it’s a ploy to get him to agree, but he can’t bring himself to protest because Gabriel’s fingers are heavenly and rather than the refusal he had been planning he groans softly, pushing back against the pressure. He barely registers the warm chuckle, but he manages to roll his head back enough to peer up at his partner, attempting and failing a glare at the smug grin that Gabriel is wearing and the triumph he isn’t even trying to keep out of his voice. “Is that a yes?”

    No, he wants to say just to be awkward. But the truth is that he’s not as opposed to the idea of sharing a bubble bath with the other man as he is pretending. There had been a time when he had been wary of the idea, never too keen on baths after his father’s idea of a bath had always been to dump a bucket of lukewarm water over him. It hadn’t really mattered during most of his military life as. Generally, showers had been the only thing available to him. But then had come Overwatch and Zurich, and larger quarters because apparently his rank demanded it and suddenly he had found himself with a bath and a shower, the former never used for the first six months.

   That had changed the night he had come back from a mission, covered in bruises after an unplanned dive through a wall. He was alive and able to move, but his body protested each movement, stiffness setting in and Gabriel had taken one look at him, after tearing him a new one for getting injured in the first place. Before ignoring his protests and filling the bath, adding a concoction of scented oil that had Jack protesting even louder at least until he let Gabriel help him into the bath.

It had been heavenly.

    It was the memory of that night, the soothing warmth of the water and Gabriel carefully pressed up against his back, gentle fingers massaging out the worst of the aches and pains that had him sighing and nodding slightly. Yes. Gabriel lighting up at the agreement, but of course, he couldn’t leave it at that, lip quirking up in a smirk as he leant in to steal a quick kiss. “Admit it, Jack, you like baths…” Jack sniffed, refusing to give in although he knew that the answer was written across his face, glancing away with a huff.

“I just want another massage.”


	16. Arachnophobia

   Jack frowned as he heard something collide with the wall in the bedroom, tilting his head to look at the door, but from where he was sat he couldn’t see what on earth Gabriel was up to. Dismissing it, he was about to turn back to the report he was reading when there was a second, louder thud and the sound of Gabriel cursing. It was the slightly higher than normal voice that told him what the problem was and torn between exasperation and amusement he set the report aside, rising to his feet a moment before Gabriel finally gave in and called for him.

“Jack…”

    Jack didn’t reply, tiptoeing into the bedroom and fighting back a chuckle as he found Gabriel standing up on their bed still in little more than his boxers, dark eyes focused on something near the wall. Turning he followed Gabriel’s gaze, taking in the shoes and id that were now littering the floor, unable to stop himself from snorting with amusement when he finally found the problem. A spider. Admittedly a rather large, and hairy specimen had taken refuge at the base of the wall and was currently playing dead, no doubt relieved that the unexpected missiles had managed to miss it completely. “Gabe…”

“I know.” It wasn’t the first time he had teased his partner for being terrified of spiders, and Jack glanced at him, taking in the way that he was eyeing up what other ammunition he could reach before deciding to take pity on him.

“I’ll get rid of it, this time…” It was a meaningless threat, and they both know it. Even when Jack is away, Gabriel never deals with spiders. Jack has lost count of the number of times he’s had messages from Ana and Reinhardt, and a couple of times even poor McCree had been roped in, to say they had removed a spider from their quarters, the Blackwatch office…the gym. “It’s more frightened of you, than…”

“I don’t think so,” Gabriel mutters, shuddering as Jack crouches down and carefully traps the spider between his hands and he barely resists the urge to tease Gabe further, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye before deciding not to and heading for the living room and the large window overlooking the base. And it’s only when he closes the window that he hears Gabriel climbing down off the bed, and rolling his eyes he goes back to check on him. Deciding that he at least deserves a kiss before he teases him some more.


	17. Embarrassment Never Gets Old

     Gabriel grumbled under his breath as he felt Jack slipping out of bed, but half asleep he was too slow to prevent his escape, hands closing on empty air and he peeked an eye open when Jack laughed at him. He had intended it to be glare, but it immediately softened into something else when he took in the sight of his partner. Greying hair was stuck up in all directions while he was in the process of rubbing a hand over bleary eyes, clearing the sleep away. And then there was the already fading evidence of their fun from the night before, and not for the first time he lamented how quickly they healed, eyeing the fading mark on the side of Jack’s neck and smirking when Jack followed his gaze and hastily slapped a hand over the mark.

“It’s a good thing it's already healing,” he grumbled, but Gabriel knew that the irritation was feigned, catching the slight quirk at the corner of his mouth and the way he brushed his fingers lightly over the mark. “I doubt I could hide this one.” Gabriel had to admit that much was true, but then he hadn’t really been worried about that last night and even now in the cold light of day he couldn’t bring himself to care that much, it wasn’t as though they were hiding anything.

“As though the others don’t know.”

“Doesn’t mean we have to give them more ammunition,” Jack retorted. Ana, in particular, had a habit of drawing attention to their slip-ups, loving to watch them squirm…and to see how red she could make Jack go. Gabriel grunted an acknowledgement, earning himself a proper smile and a kiss, wrinkling his nose at Jack’s morning breath and his partner chuckled at his expression before retreating, leaving him in bed as he disappeared into the bathroom.

  He must’ve dozed off at some point, because the next thing he knew he was being roused by a choked off noise, his eyes immediately flying open in case there was a threat. Sitting up he blinked as he found Jack stood halfway between the bathroom and the bed, a partly flustered, partly disgusted expression on his face and Gabriel watched, understanding and amusement growing as Jack bent down and retrieved the butt plug they had been using the night before. He snorted, realising they had been so tired at the end they had just nudged everything off the bed, covers and toy included…it wasn’t the first time they had done it, and yet… he lifted his head again, and sure enough, Jack was slowly and steadily turning bright red, even brighter than when Ana teased him.

“How old are you?” He demanded with a laugh, wondering how someone who was often more adventurous and demanding during sex could get so flustered by a simple thing like a toy during the day. Jack’s cheeks darkened at the question, and he ducked his head, although his embarrassment didn’t stop him from retorting.

“Younger than you at least.”


End file.
